Dish holder



Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE DISH HOLDER.

Nathan Sharaf, Brookline, Mass. Application March 27, 1946, Serial No. 657,503

The present invention relates to a plate holder and stacker for holding plates both during washing and afterward for-serving and more particularly to such a device for use in restaurants, hotels and the like where it is desirable to maintain dishes in as sterile a condition as possible. It is desirable to handle dishes, particularly plates, as little as possible, and, further, to make such provisions so that the portions of the plate upon which the food is placed do not come in contact with the hands.

In addition to the above advantages, which the present invention provides, the, present device also is economical to manufacture, easy to use and makes an attractive appearance when used in restaurants and other similar places.

The present invention provides a frame into which the dishes are placed when they are to be washed and the dishes remain in the frame until they are ready to be used. The dishes are held in the container in such a way that the operator simply takes hold of the edge and bottom of the plate, gives it a slight turn and lifts it out of the frame. I

The invention will be more fully described in connection with the drawings ilustrating an embodiment of the same in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the invention with some dishes contained therein.

Figure 2 shows another perspective view of the invention of Figure 1 with the dishes in an upright position as normally used, and

Figure 3 shows a section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

In the figures the invention consists of a frame container comprising two end sections l and 2 with laterally extending pieces 3, 3', 4, 5 and 6 joining the end sections together.

The device as a whole may be made of a combination of metal and wood, or metal and plastic, or it may be made of plastic alone, but metal and wood, in view of the use to which the device is subjected, is preferable.

The end sections may be provided with a heavier outer frame rim or periphery as indicated by 1 and an inner, thin section or diaphragm 8 for the purpose principally of lightening the device. The ends are preferably provided with supporting legs 9, H], II and 12. The lateral connecting members 3, 3', 4, 5 and 6 are so spaced that the plates l3 to be used in the frame will not slide out or fall out simply on a motion perpendicular to the side elements mentioned.

The plates l 3 come in contact with the forward lateral supports 5 and 6 which serve to hold the 1 Claim. (Cl. 21141) plate Within the container. The supports 5 and 6, as well as the support 4, may be covered on the inner side with an angular wooden piece or cover, as indicated more clearly by the section in Figure 3 where the wooden cover elements It and I5 extend over the inner face and outer edge of the elements 5-and 6 respectively and the wooden cover element 16 covers the member 4. The members 3, 3 may similarly be covered on the inner side to protect the plate from chipping on the surface. The ends of the frame I and 2 are provided with a projecting boss memher I! which serves as a handle and which also serves the purpose of slightly tilting back the stack when it is standing on end, as shown in Figure 2.

The covers 54 and [5 for the members 5 and 6 may be put on by means of counter-sunk screws l8, as indicated in Figure 1, or held on in any suitable manner. The laterally extending portions of the frame may be held to the end pieces by means of screws l9, l9 and 20, 20, and for this purpose the thickening of the periphery of the end plate serves to provide a wall for holding the screws.

The recessed section 8 of the end plate may be covered in part by crossed members 2| and 22, of wood or other softer surface material, which are screwed to the end sections by screws 23. These crossed members have exposed surfaces flush with the inner surface of the thickened rim 1.

In use the frame or container may receive plates or dishes (of a given size dependent on the end section size) before or after washing but preferably before the dishes are sterilized. The frame with the dishes already in it are taken from the water or dryer and stood on end. The end handle tilts the stack backward slightly without in any way making it an unstable balance. The edges of the dishes will in this position lie against the center elongated member 4 but if the dishes are leaning against the Wooden covers on the lateral members 5 and 6, they may continue to remain in this position. Dishes of such a size are to be used that they will be held loosely or freely in the frame in stacks but the dishes should not be so small that they can slide out between any of the lateral flat slats or bars when stacked on the end of the frame.

The operator removes the dishes by grasping each at the back and edge with the fingers and thumb, lifting and turning it at the same time until it'is clear of the other dishes on which it rests. This will permit it to clear the lateral bars 5 and 6 so that it may be removed from the stack.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

An elongated stacking frame for plates and dishes of substantially the same form comprising end flat plate members having a top arched section and a bottom flat section with a recessed inner face having a portion at least faced with a wood surface, a plurality of slat elements extending lengthwise of the frame forming sides and bottom and being substantially perpendicular to the end plates, said slat elements includ-' ing three members forming arched sides and bottom supports and having wooden face surfaces at least on the inner face thereof, said frame at the top having an opening between slats of such a size that the plates and dishes adapted to fit and be contained therein must be turned only slightly with respect to the plane of the end plates to be withdrawn between the top slats, said end plates on the outside having handle elements positioned near the edge of the end plates between the slats forming the openings where the dishes are removed, whereby when the frame is stood on end it will slant slightly backwards from said openings.

NATHAN SHARAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 457,318 Haskins Aug. 4, 1891 740,236 Cohen Sept. 29, 1903 1,015,380 Dister Jan. 23, 1912 1,127,319 Thompson Feb. 2, 1915 1,304,994 Limoncelle May 27, 1919 1,379,379 Abrahmsen May 24, 1921 1,480,043 Blakeslee Jan. 8, 1924 1,952,457 Painter Mar. 27, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,959 Norway Jan. 29, 1900 

